Cherish This Life: A Thanksgiving ～ Shared by Toh Soon Huat

Life is about self-cultivation
Life is about sharing burdens.

Whether someone lives a life of mere existence
with value and meaning depends on one’s own choice
cultivation inner spirit wisdom strength and
‘Truth Kindness and Beauty’.

The first English edition of inspiring quotes “Cherish This Life: A Thanksgiving” written by Mr Toh Soon Huat JP Volunteer Executive Chairman of Sian Chay Medical Institution has been published. "Cherish This Life: A Thanksgiving," translated from Chairman Toh's fourth book “Cherish Life Be Grateful For Life”. This book presents his grateful quotations for life livelihood and career in an illustrated style.

To Chairman Toh "forgiveness, compassion & universal love is an inner cultivation, a life perspective & philosophy, an attitude of gratitude and a bright disposition towards life. These can solve many problems affecting physical and mental health, social harmony, interpersonal relationship, conflicts, and ignorance. With this spirit, Toh Soon Huat runs Sian Chay Medical Institution and serves the public. Publishing and promoting a series of inspirational books is also his way of conveying positive energy to the public with his own perception.

【About the Author】

Dato Seri Toh Soon Huat (JP, BBM(L), BBM, PBM, PVPA, DIMS, SPTM) willingly dropped out of school when he was in secondary 3 due to poverty in his family and financial constraints. He worked hard during childhood to earn money to help his family.

Later he singlehandedly founded Novena Holdings Ltd. and was its chief executive officer. Listed on the Singapore Stock Exchange in 2000 the company mainly engaged in furniture business (Novena brand) and beauty retail and service (BEAUTESPRING brand). During his tenure as CEO he also founded “Castilla Premium” high-end furniture “Modern Living” “The White Collection” and “Natural Living” brands which are oriented towards different consumer markets. These brands have maintained Novena as a leader in Singapore’s furniture industry and became known as a high-quality and excellent Singapore retail brand. As these brands became more well-known in Singapore Novena began to enter the international market and opened branches in China Malaysia Vietnam etc. achieving brilliant results!

In 2009 Toh Soon Huat sold off the company’ and established the Novena Foundation and became its volunteer executive chairman to dedicate to charity and community welfare work. Toh Soon Huat is known as a prominent philanthropist in Singapore. He has been active in the community for a long time. He is also adviser chairman and honorary chairman of many societies. In the past two decades he has successively won the 10 15 20 and 25-year long service awards by the People’s Association. Not only is he passionate for charity work in Singapore to benefit the public he has also contributed to many countries such as China and Japan. His good deeds proves that universal love is boundless and community welfare work cuts across borders! He believes in supporting each other and doing good together. He has also received many international awards!

• Conferred the Public Service Medal (PBM) by the President of Singapore in 2004. The medal is awarded to one who has rendered commendable public service in Singapore.
• Conferred the Public Service Star (BBM) by the President of Singapore in 2009. This is awarded to one who as rendered valuable public service to the people of Singapore.
• Being awarded Friend of Heritage by Singapore National Heritage Board in 2011.
• Awarded the Friend of Heritage by the National Heritage Board of Singapore in 2012.
• Selected as one of the 50 Chinese philanthropists featured in the “Management World” magazine of the State Council Development Research Centre of China In 2013.
• Awarded the President Volunteerism & Philanthropy Award (PVPA) in 2015. This is the highest recognition of achievements and contributions to Singapore’s philanthropy.
• Awarded Philanthropist of the Year by China Pride Model Personalities Annual Festival in 2015.
• Awarded the 25th Annual Community Service Award by the Singapore People’s Association in 2016.
• Awarded the Ten-Year Long-Term Volunteer Service Award from the Singapore National Council of Social Services in 2016.
• Awarded the annual Chinese model in the second Annual Chinese Dream and Chinese brand Entrepreneurship and Innovation Ceremony in 2016.
• Awarded Outstanding Contribution Award for Charity Personalities of West China Development at the 6th Investing in West China — Excellent Entrepreneur Commendation Ceremony in 2016.
• Appointed the Peace Ambassador by the 7th Peace Flag in 2016.
• Awarded the Education Service Award by the Ministry of Education of Singapore in 2017.
• Awarded the 15 years Volunteer Long Service Award by National Council of Social Services in 2017.
• Received China Philanthropist Award by the Organizing Committee of China International Philanthropy Forum in 2017.
• Appointed Justice of the Peace by the President of Singapore in 2018. JPs are outstanding Singaporeans who have made significant contributions in their profession the public sector social services and the community at large.
• Awarded the Friend of the Arts by the Singapore National Arts Council in 2018.
• Awarded the Philip Kotler Marketing Excellence for Philanthropic Leadership by the Marketing Institute of Singapore at the World Marketing Summit in 2018. 
• Named as honoree of Forbes Asia’s 2019 Heroes of Philanthropy.
• Awarded the honorary titles of 2019 Personality of the Year Award and 2019 Charity Leader Award by Chinese Model Personality.
• Being awarded Friend of the Arts by the National Arts Council in 2020.
• Being bestowed the title of senior royal noble by the Malaysia Kelantan Sultanate Council in 2020.
• Nominated as among the 100 “New Generation Fighters” in conjunction with the special publication to mark the 100th anniversary of the Chinese Communist Party in China’s golden era in 2021.
• Being awarded Grand Award for Community Service for thirty years of dedicated voluntary service to the community by Singapore People’s Association in 2021.

 Awarded the Education Service Award by the Ministry of Education of Singapore in 2022.

• Being conferred The Public Service Star BBM(L) by the President of the Republic of Singapore in 2022. This is awarded to any person who has rendered valuable public service to the people of Singapore or who has distinguished themselves in the field of arts and letters sports the sciences business the professions and the labour movement.
• Awarded The 17th Compassion Award by Hong Kong Taiwanese & Macau Charity Fund Ltd in 2022. This award was established by the Founding Chairman Mr. Lin Tian Maw to promote positive role models of compassion and enhance positive energy in the society. The purpose is to spread love encourage good deeds promote filial piety correct social atmosphere and build a harmonious society.

In 2008 when the Wenchuan earthquake in Sichuan Province of China struck he and several friends organised the Sichuan Earthquake Relief TV charity show which raised $10.27 million. This relief fund helped in rebuilding seven “China-Singapore Friendship” primary schools and a stone bridge in the disaster area of Chengdu Sichuan. Every year tens of thousands of new students are given the opportunity to receive education and acquire knowledge at these schools. The students get to understand charity and dedication gratitude and giving back. This helps strengthened the long term friendship between China and Singapore.

 In 2002 a good friend Mr. Teo Kim Chuan invited him to join Sian Chay Medical Institution which was on the verge of closure after more than a century. Since 2008 Mr. Toh Soon Huat served as the volunteer executive chairman. He has led the board to move with times and broke tradition by setting up branches one after another in the HDB heartlands to serve the people better while remaining true to the aspiration of its founders! Sian Chay has been actively participating in community charity events promoting health awareness and encouraging health care activities instill the idea that prevention is better than cure to the elderly and give back to society and uphold Sian Chay’s spirit of “doing good”.

To develop Sian Chay and prepare a better future for Singapore’s philanthropy I have integrated Sian Chay’s century-old charity spirit with my own life experience and created Sian Chay’s Core values of Forgiveness Universal Love Compassion Gratitude and Blessing. Sian Chay also works with the nation to build a harmonious society by actively promoting the Beliefs of “Nation Progresses Family Prospers Family Harmony Successful Endeavours. Forward with the Nation Bonding with the People.” And to promote love compassion benevolence wisdom and harmony in Chinese culture encourage everyone to change and improve ourselves to serve and contribute to society the country and the world.

In fact forgiveness compassion & universal love is an inner cultivation a life perspective & philosophy an attitude of gratitude and a bright disposition towards life. These can solve many problems affecting physical and mental health social harmony interpersonal relationship confl icts and ignorance.

When I took over in 2008 Sian Chay had only 4 staff working at the 610 Geylang main branch serving 26 patients daily. Sian Chay currently has a network of 14 branches located island wide serving over 1200 patient visits daily with 125 staff to serve needy and elderly residents in the HDB heartlands. For the past 8 years (2014-2021) Sian Chay has served a total of 2664802 patient visits and dispensed 5366302 dosages of prescription. In the next 5 years (2022-2026) the number of patient visits and dosages of prescription are expected to increase to 2.5 million and 4.8 million respectively.

In the spirit of giving back to society while having benefited from society Toh Soon Huat saw there were many helpless and needy patients in the society who needed medical care. Helping a patient with a family is equivalent to helping all members of the family to be relieved from hardship obtain happiness. This will create a happy family and a harmonious and peaceful society.

Sian Chay Medical Institution  Social Enterprise  Societal Management  Social Service

Sian Chay abounds with gratitude and love

We are one family

Sian Chay’s staff strongly believe that serving mankind is the best job

Toh Soon Huat will continue to work with like-minded people uphold the mission set by the predecessors with love and empathy and systematically fulfil the goal to serve the people serve the society benefiting more people and dedicate fully to charity as his responsibility for a bright meaningful and noble purpose.

At the same time it is hoped that charitable organizations can interact with each other support each other do good together and share resources. Through universal love and gratitude let’s work for charity and community welfare so that Singapore’s charity and welfare sector can thrive and continue to benefit the vulnerable people in society and the welfare of people can sustain throughout generations!

Continuing with compassion with Sian Chay I hope that more people can enjoy the warmth of being cared and be nourished in the spirit.